June 30 Braves beat Orioles 5:3 and Leo Mazzone is back

Chucky (Chuck James) 投了完封五局的好球, 直到第六局被擊出 back-to-back HR 失去三分, 這也是他最令人擔心的地方. Chucky 看來是個容易被擊出飛球型的投手, 前一場對 Tampa Bay的比賽, 投八局用111球, Ground Balls-Fly Balls : 1-13; 這場比賽投六局用了96球, Ground Balls-Fly Balls : 2-11. 即使勇士擁有高水準且足以信賴的外野手, 但若一旦被咬中還是很危險的. 不管如何, 這場比賽勇士在六局下半靠著 Marcus Giles 二人出局後的二分打點一壘安打, 新的牛棚組合 Chad Paronto-Ken Ray-Jorge Sosa守住最後三局未失分, 勇士在六月份的最後一場留下了勝利.

綜觀六月份, 6W-21L, 沒打破勇士隊史由 1935 Boston Braves 九月份 5W-25L 寫下的最差單月戰績. 在已完成的80場賽事 34W-46L, 與 Mets 的勝差由月初的 4-1/2 拉開到現在的 13-1/2, 與外卡領先的 Reds 也還有10場的差距. 本球季只剩下82場比賽, 實在很不樂觀.

附註一段 Chucky 在小聯盟時的回應: (Thanks to 頑皮)
According to Baseball America, you allowed a higher ratio of fly balls to ground balls than almost every other pitcher in the minors. Why do you think that was? - Kyle S.
Ha, I have no idea. I go out and try to get guys out. If I am getting guys out, I’m happy. Fly balls include pop ups, too, and I had quite a few of those. That does not concern me at all. That is, as long as they are staying in the park!

Rock Leo back
這位自1990年起擔任投手教練, 跟著總教練 Bobby Cox 聯手打造出投手王國的勇士王朝, 在去年球季結束後加入他好朋友 Sam Perlozzo 擔任總教練的 Orioles 後, 第一次以對手的身分來到 Turner Field.

大家發現他的左手臂上多了個 "14 Straight" 的刺青, where it comes from? 原來是來自金鶯一壘手 Kevin Millar 在春訓時的建議, Millar 自己已經有 "Against All Odds" 的刺青, 而 Mazonne 在二杯紅酒下肚後, 手臂上就多了這個刺青. 而由刺青的內容看來, 顯然 Leo 還是心繫勇士.
"We had a couple of glasses of red wine," Millar said with a grin, "and next thing you know, he's got '14 Straight' on his shoulder."

"I like it so much," Mazzone said, "I'm going to get one with Notre Dame on the other shoulder."

少了 Mazzone 在身邊前後搖晃的 Cox, 遇到球隊15年來最大的窘境. 尤其來自投手的問題, 先發的不穩定及牛棚的爆炸性都一一浮現. 如果 Leo 還在勇士的話, 狀況會不一樣嗎?

John Smoltz 對 Leo 的到來說出他的感激. 表示如果沒有 Mazzone 的話, 他不會由一個年輕狂野的小伙子蛻變成現在的自己. 但 Smoltz 也表示即使 Leo 現在還在勇士, 也不見得能改變什麼, 畢竟這還是支由許多新面孔及年輕球員組成的投手陣容.

"There's no doubt, for me personally, how much he helped my career," said Smoltz, who was traded from Detroit in 1987 and made his major league debut with Atlanta in 1988. "He was a vital part of my career.

"He changed the direction my career was going and did it by simplicity. I was wild, young, confused [Smoltz issued 81 walks in 130 innings in his last season in the Tigers' minor league system].

"When I got to Instructional League [with the Braves], he just simplified things with his system. That let me do my thing.